In this issue:

DELYCIOUS Project – Developing Advanced Diagnostic and Monitoring Tools for Water Electrolysers

New Wave EU Project: Building a Sustainable & Circular Economy through Innovative, Biobased Manufacturing Lines – New Insights into Wood Modification

Seafairer Project: Sustainable Energy and Alternative Fuels from Advanced Intermediate Renewable Energy Carrier Technology – Second Factsheet

Seamless-PV Project: Powering a Sustainable Future with Integrated Solar Solutions -New BIPV Application Comes to Life

FUEL-UP Project: Powering a Greener Future for Aviation and Marine Transport – Production of Stabilized Deoxygenated Pyrolysis Oils

ReSilex Project: Reducing the EU Dependence on Critical Raw Materials for Solar Panel and Battery Production – Testing the Eco-Design of Solar Cells and Modules “Made in Europe”

Future Events:

Refolution Project Webinar – Navigating Maritime Decarbonisation. VTT Presents REFOLUTION Insights and Frames The Discussion on EU and IMO Developments 

Resilex Project Webinar: Recovery of Valuable and Critical Raw Materials in the Mining Industry

IEA Bioenergy Webinar: Informing Land-use Decisions about Consequences for Biodiversity

MedGreen Forum 2026 – The Renewable Energy of Nature for a Livable Mediterranean Urban Habitat

Hyper Project Event: From Research to Industry: Advancing Electrochemical Routes for Clean Chemicals – A Case Study on Hydrogen Peroxide 

34th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 

FUEL-UP Project Symposium: Comprehensive Sustainability Assessment & Product Standardisation in Next-Generation Biofuel Pathways: Integrating Waste-to-Fuel Innovations for Hard-to-Abate Sectors 

ReteIFV 2026 Conference – The Fourth Edition of the Conference of the Italian Network for Research, Development and Innovation in Photovoltaics

Download it here: https://www.etaflorence.it/mailing/eta/newsletters/eta_florence_march_2026.html

ETA Florence latest newsletter is out now!

In this issue:

SolarDesign 2.0: Strengthening the Italian BIPV Value Chain Through Technological Innovation and Sustainability

EPHYRA – European Production of Hydrogen from Renewable Energy Integration into an Industrial Environment

REUSE – A Horizon Europe Project Pioneering Carbon Circularity for a Sustainable Future 

FUEL-UP Project – Powering a Greener Future for Aviation and Marine Transport – First Factsheet: Process Alternatives to Valorize Side-Streams 

ELOXYCHEM Project – Renewable Electrochemical Oxidation of Cyclic and Biogenic Substrates for High Efficiency Production of Organic Chemicals – First Factsheet

Seamless-PV Project – Powering a Sustainable Future with Integrated Solar Solutions – Latest Factsheet: Semi-Automated Manufacturing Line for BIPV Modules 

Resilex Project Webinar – From Waste to Power – New Solutions for Battery Production 

Delycious Project Webinar – Advancing Online Diagnosis and Building Durable Electrolysis Systems for Europe’s Hydrogen Future 

Hyper Project and Eloxychem Project Webinar – Electrochemical Pathways for a Greener Chemical Industry  

MedGreen Forum 2026 – The Renewable Energy of Nature for a Livable Mediterranean Urban Habitat 

34th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition – EUBCE 2026

Download the newsletter here: Latest News

The Italian building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) value chain represents one of the strategic solutions for achieving the energy targets set by the European Union under the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU Plan, as transposed at national level through the Italian National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) 2024, which foresees the installation of 79.2 GW of photovoltaic capacity by 2030. However, as of early 2025, the total installed photovoltaic capacity in Italy amounts to 37.88 GW, highlighting a significant gap with respect to the planned targets. 

Within this framework, the SolarDesign 2.0 research and innovation project aims to strengthen the Italian BIPV value chain through technological innovation and sustainability.  
 
The project addresses the need to overcome the current fragmentation of the BIPV market by fostering the development of highly customizable photovoltaic solutions capable of combining high energy performance, aesthetic quality, and seamless architectural integration. 

SolarDesign 2.0 focuses on the development of automated and flexible pilot production lines for customized BIPV modules, the establishment of a national competence and prototyping center, and the development of new photovoltaic products for façades, roofs, and other building envelope components. A core element of the project is its strong emphasis on life-cycle sustainability, with dedicated activities addressing photovoltaic module recycling and material recovery, particularly silicon. 

Through close collaboration between research organizations and industrial partners, the project ultimately aims to enable the large-scale deployment of BIPV solutions, supporting designers, construction companies, and other stakeholders through training activities, technical tools, and dissemination actions, thereby making a tangible contribution to the energy transition and the decarbonization of the building sector. 

Within the project consortium, ETA Florence Renewable Energies acts as a specialized consultant in photovoltaic (PV) and building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. Its activities include an initial territorial screening in nine Italian pilot cities, distributed across Northern, Central, and Southern Italy, to identify representative urban contexts and building typologies suitable for architectural photovoltaic integration. In parallel, targeted surveys and interviews will be conducted with architects, construction companies, and cultural heritage authorities to assess the current level of BIPV awareness, perceived barriers, and training needs. 

Based on the outcomes of these activities, tailored and accredited training seminars will be organized in each pilot city, introducing BIPV principles, presenting the prototypes developed within the project, and illustrating exemplary applications on real local buildings. 

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La filiera italiana del fotovoltaico integrato nell’architettura (BIPV) rappresenta una delle soluzioni strategiche per il raggiungimento degli obiettivi energetici fissati dall’Unione Europea nell’ambito dell’European Green Deal e del REPowerEU Plan, recepiti a livello nazionale dal PNIEC 2024, che prevede l’installazione di 79,2 GW di potenza fotovoltaica entro il 2030. Tuttavia, a inizio 2025 la potenza fotovoltaica complessivamente installata in Italia ammonta a 37,88 GW, evidenziando un significativo divario rispetto ai target previsti. 

In questo contesto si inserisce il progetto di ricerca e innovazione SolarDesign 2.0, finalizzato a rafforzare la filiera del fotovoltaico integrato nell’architettura in Italia (BIPV), attraverso l’innovazione tecnologica e la sostenibilità. 
 
Il progetto nasce dall’esigenza di superare l’attuale frammentazione del mercato BIPV, promuovendo lo sviluppo di soluzioni fotovoltaiche altamente personalizzabili, capaci di coniugare elevate prestazioni energetiche, qualità estetica ed integrazione architettonica.  

SolarDesign 2.0 punta allo sviluppo di linee pilota di produzione automatizzate e flessibili per la realizzazione di moduli BIPV customizzati, alla creazione di un centro nazionale di competenza e prototipazione, nonché allo sviluppo di nuovi prodotti fotovoltaici per facciate, coperture e altri elementi dell’involucro edilizio. 
Un elemento centrale del progetto è inoltre rappresentato dall’attenzione alla sostenibilità lungo l’intero ciclo di vita, con attività specifiche dedicate al riciclo dei moduli fotovoltaici e al recupero dei materiali, in particolare del silicio. 
Grazie alla collaborazione tra enti di ricerca e partner industriali, il progetto mira a favorire la diffusione su larga scala del BIPV, supportando progettisti, imprese e stakeholder attraverso attività di formazione, strumenti tecnici e attività di divulgazione, contribuendo in modo concreto alla transizione energetica e alla decarbonizzazione del settore edilizio. 
 
All’interno del partenariato di progetto ETA Florence Renewable Energies ricopre il ruolo di consulente specializzato nei sistemi fotovoltaici (PV) e fotovoltaico integrato (BIPV).  

Da un primo screening territoriale in nove città campione italiane (Nord, Centro e Sud) saranno individuati contesti urbani e tipologie edilizie rappresentative in cui integrare fotovoltaico architettonico. 
Saranno condotte interviste ed indagini mirate con architetti, imprese di costruzioni e sovrintendenze ai beni culturali per comprendere il livello di conoscenza del BIPV, le criticità percepite e i fabbisogni formativi.  
Infine, saranno organizzati seminari formativi mirati ed accreditati, organizzati in ciascuna città campione introducendo al BIPV e presentando i prototipi sviluppati nel progetto e le applicazioni esemplificative su edifici reali locali. 
 

L’iniziativa è promossa dal progetto Seamless-PV e organizzata da ETA Florence Renewable Energies. 

L’obiettivo della conferenza è duplice: mostrare i progressi rivoluzionari nell’integrazione della tecnologia solare in edifici, infrastrutture, veicoli e paesaggi agricoli, e condividere esperienze sul campo, progetti in corso e future applicazioni, col fine di dimostrare che queste soluzioni non sono solo a portata di mano, ma fattibili, economicamente sostenibili ed innovative. 

Il Messaggio del Chair 

Il Prof. Francesco Frontini, Direttore dell’Istituto sostenibilità applicata all’ambiente costruito (ISAAC) presso la Scuola Professionale Superiore della Svizzera Italiana, è stato nominato Chair della Conferenza e nel suo messaggio sottolinea l’importanza cruciale dell’integrazione del fotovoltaico: 

“Le nostre città e gli ambienti edificati devono trasformarsi se vogliamo affrontare le grandi sfide del nostro tempo. Affinché la transizione energetica abbia successo, dobbiamo sbloccare ogni opportunità per integrare l’energia rinnovabile – in particolare il fotovoltaico – nel tessuto stesso di ciò che ci circonda, andando oltre i sistemi stand-alone”. 

Il Prof. Frontini spiega inoltre il concetto di integrazione che guida l’evento:  

“Integrare significa più che installare; è l’atto di completare, migliorare e rendere un elemento veramente funzionale incorporandolo in un sistema esistente. Per il fotovoltaico, l’integrazione significa progettare tecnologie solari in modo che siano strutturalmente, esteticamente e funzionalmente parte degli oggetti e degli ambienti che servono, anziché essere trattate come componenti aggiuntivi”. 

La sfida, prosegue Frontini, è sia tecnica che culturale. Tecnicamente, è necessario progredire nella progettazione dei moduli, nell’integrazione strutturale, nell’ingegneria dei sistemi e nella scienza dei materiali. Culturalmente, è necessario colmare le lacune tra le discipline, riunendo architetti, pianificatori, ingegneri, produttori, policymakers e comunità. 

“Il programma di quest’anno riflette tale ambizione. Abbiamo plasmato un formato non solo per mostrare progetti eccezionali e lezioni apprese, ma anche per promuovere un dialogo che porti a soluzioni pratiche e di impatto – oltre i vincoli puramente tecnici”. 

Panoramica del Programma 2025 

Il programma della conferenza si concentra su quattro aree principali di integrazione: architettura (edifici), infrastruttura, agricoltura e trasporti (veicoli). 

I partecipanti troveranno sessioni su fotovoltaico integrato negli edifici (BIPV), applicazioni urbane, agrivoltaico, soluzioni integrate nei veicoli (VIPV), modellazione digitale, quadri politici e strategie di efficienza delle risorse. 

Highlights del Programma (25 – 26 Novembre 2025): 

La prima giornata si aprirà con i saluti e i messaggi della Commissione Europea. Seguirà una sessione dedicata  all’Architettura solare che includerà la presentazione del Milan Campus Goccia, un progetto di Renzo Piano Building Workshop, ARUP e Politecnico di Milano. Seguirà poi una serie di contributi sull’integrazione del PV negli edifici (BIPV), provenienti da aziende e centri di ricerca.  

Le sessioni pomeridiane esploreranno vari progressi in tema di agrivoltaico (tra cui le esperienze di ETA Florence e Next2Sun), per chiudere poi con una sessione particolare, concentrata sull’integrazione dei pannelli fotovoltaici nei veicoli commerciali (Vehicle Integrated PV), dando spazio ad aziende leader del settore come Lightyear, IM Efficiency e OPES Mobility.  

Il secondo giorno si aprirà con una seconda sessione dedicata al BIPV e un panel di discussione tra attori industriali (ECOPROGETTI, STANDEX e 3S). Seguiranno poi una serie di sessioni tematiche dedicate interamente ad aspetti tecnologici dell’integrazione del fotovoltaico. 

Link al Programma completo 

Per registrarsi e consultare il programma completo, visitare: ipv-conference.com. 

Contatti:  info@ipv-conference.com 

Firenze, 20 novembre 2025 – Appuntamento al prossimo lunedì 24 novembre nella prestigiosa sede della Camera di Commercio a Firenze, per la prima conferenza nazionale dedicata ai temi dell’agrivoltaico.

L’evento è organizzato da ETA con il patrocino della Reale Ambasciata di Danimarca nell’ambito del Semestre di Presidenza danese del Consiglio dell’Unione Europea e della fondazione UniVerde, con aziende sponsor European Energy, Next2Sun e Sun’Agri e l’adesione della neonata associazione Agrivoltaica, Festival Ecofuturo e conterà sulla presenza della Rete delle Associazioni Toscane per le Rinnovabili.

Già numerose le adesioni all’agenda dei lavori che si articola su tre sessioni dedicate a temi Istituzionali, autorizzativi e legali, tecnico-scientifici ed etici, con autorevoli interventi di decision-maker, stakeholder, sviluppatori, investitori, esperti e tecnici del settore.

Angela Grassi Managing Director di ETA Florence ha dichiarato “l’idea di incontrarsi a Firenze per parlare di agrivoltaico nasce dall’esigenza manifestata da tutti gli attori del mondo rinnovabile per cogliere al meglio le opportunità legate allo sviluppo di questa sinergia”

Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, Presidente Fondazione UniVerde “L’agrivoltaico sostenibile e etico è una sfida per aiutare le imprese agricole e per uscire dalla dipendenza dai combustibili fossili”

Alessandro Migliorini Country Manager European Energy azienda sponsor dell’evento ha dichiarato “questa Prima Conferenza Italiana sull’agrivoltaico è l’occasione ideale per sciogliere i nodi autorizzativi e di mancata comprensione culturale della realtà dei fatti, basti pensare che sulla Penisola sono 1,5 milioni di ettari di terreni agricoli non coltivati che potrebbero coniugare produzione di energia e coltivazione”

Alessio Pinzone Presidente dell’associazione Agrivoltaica “saremo presenti alla Conferenza per parlare di come l’agrivoltaico rappresenti una nuova idea di agricoltura capace di rendere protagoniste della transizione energetica le aziende agricole.”

Fabio Roggiolani, cofondatore del Festival Ecofuturo ha dichiarato “L’agrivoltaico sancisce l’alleanza tra sovranità energetica rinnovabile e sovranità alimentare. I cambiamenti climatici hanno alzato a tal punto le temperature che le colture devono proteggersi dai raggi solari diretti.  L’agricoltura che aggredisce i suoli e li inquina di chimica ha portato al collasso economico ed ecologico i terreni e gli agricoltori. L’alleanza tra agricoltura e rinnovabili da un nuovo futuro alla terra e al reddito degli agricoltori stessi. Chi ferma o rallenta questo processo oggi si assume una grave responsabilità. L’evento di Firenze è davvero un bel segnale e noi vogliamo esserci.”

Sede dell’evento: Camera di Commercio, Piazza dei Giudici 1, Firenze

Link agenda dell’evento: conferenzagrivoltaico.it/programma

Per partecipare occorre accreditarsi registrandosi qui: conferenzagrivoltaico.it/registrati

ETA Florence latest newsletter is out now!

In this issue:

SETDEPLOY Launches to Accelerate Bioenergy and Renewable Fuels Across Europe! 

SEAFAIRER Project Holds its Consortium Meeting in Florence 

La Prima Conferenza Italiana sull’Agrivoltaico – The First Italian Conference on Agrivoltaics

Integrating PV Technologies in the Built Environment and Landscape

FOREST4EU Project New Report: Policy Recommendations for a Future-Proof Forestry Sector

Renewable Methanol Production for the Shipping Industry -M2ARE Project First of a Series of Factsheets

REUSE Project – Enzymatic CO2 Capture in a Rotating Packed Bed and Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to Useful Products: New Video

Expert Panel: Land Uses Capability to Integrate PVs

Forest4EU Webinar: From Farm to Fork Concept

MedGreen Forum 2026

34th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition – EUBCE 2026

Download the newsletter here: Latest News

ETA-Florence Mission to China: Exploring and Establishing Partnerships in Renewables and Bioeconomy

From October 24th to 30th, an ETA-Florence delegation visited China, engaging with leading industrial, academic, and institutional partners to strengthen collaboration in renewable energy, bioeconomy, and technological innovation. The mission — organized with the invaluable support of Prof. Shizhong Li, Chief Scientist of the Hydrogen Energy Center at the Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University — resulted in concrete discussions and promising opportunities for future partnerships.

Participation in the 2025 China Petroleum & Chemical International Conference
On invitation from the organizers of the 2025 China Petroleum & Chemical International Conference in Ningbo, M. Cocchi and H. Ossenbrink delivered well-received presentations on:

• Biomass for energy and materials in the European Union
• eFuels and Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) as alternatives to fossil fuels

Their interventions prompted in-depth discussions on EU policies, especially regarding SAFs. China is investing heavily in SAF production and aims to meet both EU carbon-footprint certification requirements and IATA’s CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation). As the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, China faces the challenge of aligning with international standards. Together with the conference organizers, ETA explored the possibility of creating a dedicated “EU–China Innovation” session at the next edition of the conference.

Industrial and Research Visits
Following the conference, the delegation visited several companies and research organizations across the clean-energy sector, with a dual objective:

1. Promote EUBCE 2026, encouraging participation in both the exhibition and scientific programme.
2. Identify potential collaborations for future EU–China projects.

Key visits included:

• Yueda Group, Yancheng – a major state-owned industrial group operating advanced manufacturing sites, including a fully automated car factory and a robotic textile production facility.
• BBCA Group, Bengbu – a leading producer of polylactic acid (PLA) from agricultural residues and exhibitor at EUBCE 2024.
• Envision, Shanghai – a global clean-energy leader working on wind turbines, battery storage, smart grids, SAFs, meteorological forecasting, and next-generation perovskite PV.

These meetings highlighted China’s rapid and ambitious progress on clean technologies, particularly SAFs and biochemicals.

Engagement with Academia and Institutions
The delegation also gained insight into China’s research landscape:

• Shanghai Science & Technology Exchange Center (SSTEC) – which also offers grants for international students.
• Jiao Tong University, Shanghai – where the Bioenergy Department demonstrated advanced R&D in biomass intermediates and biochemicals.

A brief visit to the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) in Shanghai confirmed the support that Italian start-ups can receive when entering the Chinese market.

A Shared Commitment to Collaboration
Throughout the mission, ETA-Florence received a warm welcome and strong expressions of interest in deepening cooperation with Europe. Despite the current geopolitical context, all partners reiterated their willingness to strengthen scientific, industrial, and technological ties. This mission underlined the value of direct engagement and partnership building. By fostering dialogue between Chinese and European industry leaders, researchers, and institutions, ETA-Florence is contributing to shared progress in renewable energy and the bioeconomy. These collaborations not only accelerate technological innovation but also help build a foundation for long-term stability, mutual understanding, and prosperity between Europe and China.

ETA Florence delegation: Angela Grassi, Maurizio Cocchi, Heinz Ossenbrink
Overall organization, contacts and logistics: Sinuo Sun, ETA Florence
Host in China: Prof Shizhong Li, Hydrogen Energy Center at the Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University, with Lijuan Yun 

Integrated PV: Powering a Sustainable Renaissance

Our cities and built environments must transform if we want to tackle the major challenges of our time. For the energy transition to succeed, we need to unlock every opportunity to integrate renewable energy — especially photovoltaics — into the very fabric of our surroundings, moving beyond standalone systems.

To integrate means more than to install; it is the act of completing, enhancing, and making an element truly functional by embedding it within an existing system. For photovoltaics, integration means designing solar technologies to be structurally, aesthetically, and functionally part of the objects and environments they serve, rather than being treated as add-ons.

When shaping the program for this conference, we emphasized four main areas of integration architecture (buildings), infrastructure, agriculture, and transport (vehicles).

The challenge ahead is both technical and cultural. Technically, we must advance module design, structural integration, systems engineering, materials science, digital tools, and lifecycle approaches. Culturally, we must bridge disciplines — bringing together architects, planners, engineers, manufacturers, industries, policymakers, and communities — to reimagine how PV can become a natural part of daily life.

This year’s program reflects that ambition. You will find sessions on building-integrated PV, urban applications and agrivoltaics, vehicle-integrated solutions, digital modelling, policy frameworks, and resource efficiency strategies. We have shaped a format not only to showcase outstanding projects and lessons learned, but also to foster dialogue that leads to practical, impactful solutions — beyond purely technical constraints.

Let this gathering be a spark for new ideas, collaborations, and innovations that ripple outward, advancing integrated photovoltaics at scale.

We look forward to welcoming you in Florence, Italy — the cradle of the Renaissance, home to Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Brunelleschi — on 25–26 November 2025. You won’t regret it!

Prof. Francesco Frontini
Director of ISAAC
SUPSI, Switzerland
Integrated PV Conference Chair

About the Integrated PV Conference – IPVC 2025

The Integrated PV Conference is a vibrant meeting point for architects, PV manufacturers, researchers, engineers, developers, and policymakers committed to scaling up photovoltaic integration in the built environment and landscape. Building on the promising and enthusiastic start of its 2024 launch, the second edition will further momentum by showcasing innovative solutions, real-world applications, and knowledge exchange among key stakeholders.

Participation is free of charge, with mandatory registration.

Organised by ETA Florence.

Med Green Forum invites researchers, professionals, experts and students to submit contributions (scientific studies, essays, innovative projects, best-practices, theses) and join the debate!

Key Topics: Energy Transition | Carbon-Neutral Cities | Urban Climate Resilience | Adaptive Design | Renewable Energy Integration in the Built Environment | Positive Energy Districts and Neighbourhoods | Nature-Based solutions | Ecosystemic Services | Building Energy Efficiency and Demand Reduction | Bioclimatic Architecture | Innovative Deep Energy Renovations | Cultural Heritage Retrofit and Energy Valorisation | Enabling Technologies | Green and Circular Building Technologies | Building-Integrated Renewable Energy (BIPV) | Passive Design Strategies for Retrofit | Eco and Recycled Construction Materials | Life Cycle Thinking and Eco-Design | Citizen-Centric Energy Communities | Human-Centric Energy Behaviour and Lifestyles | Energy and Environmental Awareness and Community Engagement | Predictive Modelling and Real-Time Monitoring Systems for Sustainable Buildings | Digital Twin, IoT, and AI for Building Performance | Indoor Environmental Quality and Human Wellbeing | Green Policy Innovation and Financing | Education, Capacity Building and Skills for Transition | Women & Energy

Key Dates

1 NOVEMBER | Call for Abstract opening

15 JANUARY 2026 | Abstract submission

28 FEBRAURY 2026 | Early registration 15 MARCH 2026 | Final paper submission

MGF Student Awards

The MGF Awards is an opportunity for PhD students, master’s students and young graduate designers to present their most remarkable and outstanding work in a dedicated poster session.

Background

Since the first edition in 2010, the World Renewable Energy Congress and Network Forum have organised seven bi-annual Med Green Forum, five of them in Florence, to highlight the role of Renewable Energy applications in the sustainable building sector as foundation of a truly positive energy future, with a focus on the Mediterranean region, where an effective renewable energy implementation should act as a beacon of light to the rest of the world to follow.
Coming to these latest editions, the MGF has been shaped as an open roundtable for an international community of researchers, experts and enthusiasts to discuss the most innovative and promising sustainable technologies, applications and models for more reliable and inclusive planning and design practices.
During the forum, over 500 experts from various disciplinary sectors attended the discussion from many different countries around the World to collectively envision future buildings and cities.

Further information: MedGreen Forum | 2026